Bobbin holder suspension means



Oct. 24, 1961 R. K. WHlTEHEAD, sR., ET AL 3,005,602

BOBBIN HOLDER SUSPENSION MEANS Filed April 27, 1959 United States Patent 9 3,005,602 BOBBIN HOLDER SUSPENSION MEANS Richard K. Whitehead, Sn, and Richard K. Whitehead,

31:, both of 1631 N. Gatewood Road, Emory University, Ga.

Filed Apr. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 809,001 9 Claims. (Cl. 242--130.2)

This invention relates to bobbin holders, and is particularly concerned with the suspension means for suspension type bobbin holders in which standard type bobbins for thread, sliver, or rovings are releasably suspended for free rotation from the creel boards or creel rails of spinning machines or the like.

A variety of intricate and painstakingly designed bobbin holders of the general type referred to have long been known in the industry, but such holders have heretofore been plagued with undue friction, increasing tension and choking with lint and other foreign matter. Since such holders are in use by the hundreds of thousands, one of the problems confronting the designer is the production of an effective and efiicient suspension means which will solve the probierns above outlined and which will be simple in operation and construction and Well designed to meet the rigorous demands of economic manufacture in a highly competitive field. In the present invention, these and other related problems of construction looking toward the achievement of a novel and improved bobbin holder suspension means are solved by providing a means which combines with ruggedness, strength and durability, the requisite features of operational efiiciency and manufacturing economy. The present structure also provides ease and faithfulness of operation, constant tension and simplicity of construction heretofore unknown in this art.

It is therefore among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved bobbin holder suspension means for the free rotary suspension of bobbins which will be simple in construction, effective and efficient in operation and well designed to meet the demands of economic manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bobbin holder suspension means having a lint free ball assembly which will assure constant tension over a long period of years.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bobbin holder suspension means which is effectively closed against foreign matter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bobbin holder suspension means of three point construction assuring minimum friction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a labyrinth seal to prevent lint and other foreign matter getting into the ball and race cavity.

These and other objects easily recognizable from a readin of the description below are attained in our invention, as shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, with parts broken away, showing a bobbin holder having our novel suspension means thereon.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary View, in cross section, showing the bobbin holder suspension means illustrated in FIG. 1 rotated through 90.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing greater detail of the bobbin holder suspension means illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, showing a detail of the novel ball separator.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, those skilled ice in the art will recognize a bobbin holder of generally bullet shape with the nose pointing downwardly and made up of mating halves i0, 10' joined together by the dia metric axle pin 11 upon which is mounted a rotary catch having'opposite extreme corner portions to engage the bobbin when the catch is in horizontal position and which upon actuation of the catch by the operating collar 13 are rotated to lie substantially within the outer confines of the tubular body.

Near their upper ends, the mating halves i0, 10' of the bobbin holder are provided with inwardly extending horizontal walls 14 which abut one another and completely seal off the upper end of the central cavity within which the operating mechanism (not shown) of the bobbin holder is mounted. Beyond the end wall 14, the mating halvm of the bobbin holder extend upwardly, as at 15, to provide a chamber for reception of our novel bobbin holder suspension means, the upper end terminating in annular flange l6 overhanging an annulus 17, for a purpose hereinafter to be described in detail.

Into the suspension means chamber is placed a threaded stud 18 having an outwardly tapering head 19 upon which rests an inner ball race 20, preferably made of stainless steel. Resting upon the inner ball race 20 are three stainless steel balls 21, 21, 21". These three balls are separated by a novel sheet metal separator 22 which is cut out centrally at 23 so as to form a central opening which permits placing the separator over the stud 18, the separator being provided with three equally spaced, outwardly extending arms 24 which have their side edges bent downwardly to form substantially vertical wings 25. On top of the balls 21 and over the separator 22 is placed an outer race 27 having an outwardly extending, substantially horizontal edge portion 27 which is received in the annulus 17 and held in place therein by the annular flange 16 when the mating halves of the bobbin holder are in assembled position, the upper end of the mating halves of the bobbin holder being secured together by means of lock ring 26 which is pressed over the upwardly extending portions 115.

Resting upon the outside of outer race 26 is a fiber Washer approximately .010 inch thick and having an inside diameter of approximately .029 inch which is approximately .002 inch larger than the smooth unthreaded shank portion 29 of the stud 18 which is threaded only at its outer end. It will be noted particularly that, according to our construction, the inside diameter of the threads on the stud 18 is approximately the same as the outside diameter on the smooth shank portion 29, and the outside diameter of the threads on the stud 18 is approximately .002 inch greater than the inside diameter of fiber washer 28. This is important for a reason to be hereinafter fully explained.

Over the fiber washer 2.8 there is a thin metal washer 30 having an inside diameter just suificient to slip over the threaded end portion of stud 18. On top of metal washer 30 there is another fiber washer 31 having an inside diameter the same as fiber washer Z8 and which must therefore be threaded along the threads on the end of stud 18 in order to reach the smooth shank portion 29 of the stud 18 and fit thereabout with very, very slight clearance and form with the washers 2S and 30 a labyrinth seal against entry of foreign matter into the ball bearings. Outer washer 31 is pressed down against washer 30 by a very slight force exerted by helical spring 32 which fits about stud 18 and has its upper end in engage ment With the customary umbrella or dust cap 33 which is screwed down on the threads of stud 18 in the custom ary manner.

It will be noted that the depending skirt of the urn brella 33 extends downwardly past lock ring 26, so than in conjunction with the depending skirt of the umbrella 33 the lock ring 26 serves the dual purpose of acting as a roving stop for entrapping roving which might otherwise fiy up under the umbrella and over onto the top of the bobbin holder. This initial stop for extraneous material is only the beginning in our sealing means for our novel suspension means for bobbin holders, the outer edge 27' of outer rate 27 being sealed tightly in the annulus 17, and with the fiber'washer 28 resting upon the polished stainless steel upper surface of outer race 26 and having only very, very slight clearance with the smooth shank portion 29 of stud 18 and fitting flatly against washer 30 upon which rests the fiber washer 31, likewise having only very, very slight clearance with the smooth shank portion 29 of the stud 13, by reason of the inside diameters of washers 28 and 31 being even less than the outside diameter of the threaded portion of stud 18, the washers 28, 30 and 31 being held in engagement with one another by the slight pressure of spring 32, there is formed a labyrinth seal which eiiectively closes the suspension means chamber provided in the upper end of a bobbin holder, the bottom of this chamber being closed off by the horizontal wall 14, as previously described.

Thus it will be scent that We have provided an effective seal against extraneous matter which might otherwise enter our bobbin holder suspension means, and by incorporating only three balls in the ball bearing, a three point suspension is provided which assures only minimum friction for rotation of the bobbin holder yet permits free swingingaction, or more each side of center, for easy loading and unloading of the bobbins from the bobbin holder. With such free swinging action from side to side, the prior art separators for ball bearings are not adequate to prevent jamming of the balls within the bearing, but because of the downwardly turned wings on each side of the spacer arms on our separator, the three balls are eiiectively retained with their 120 spacing and jamming is obviated, Moreover, because the inner and outer races, and the three ball bearings can be made of polished stainless steel, it is not necessary to provide a friction free surface otherwise in our construction, and constant tension is assured year after year in rust free operation of the lint free ball assembly guarded by our labyrinth seal.

While only a single embodiment has been disclosed for purpose of illustration, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim: 7 Y

1. In a bobbin holder having an elongate hollow body, an upper wall closing the upper end of said hollow body, an extension of said body projecting upwardly beyond said wall to form a chamber for suspension means for said body, a stud having an outwardly tapering head mounted in said chamber, said stud having a threaded] outer end portion and a smooth intermediate portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said threaded end portion, an inner bearing race loosely encircling said stud and resting upon said tapering head, three ball hearings in said bearing race, a separator loosely encircling said stud and separating said ball bearings with substantially equal spacing, said separator having three equally spaced outwardly extending arms provided with downwardly extending wings for preventing jamming of said ball bearings, an outer hearing race losely encircling said stud and covering said ball bearings, imperforate flange means on said extension securing said outer bearing race in place, said flange means and said outer bearing race sealing off the outer end of said chamber outside the inner periphery of said outer bearing race, and a labyrinth seal for the clearance between said outer bearing race and said stud, said seal including a fiber washer resting upon the outside of said outer bearing race and having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a metal Washer resting upon said fiber washer and having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a second fiber washer resting upon said metal washer and having an inside diameter substantially the same as said first mentioned fiber washer, a dustcap threadedly engaging said threaded end portion of said stud, and a helical spring slightly compressed between said dust cap and said second fiber washer.

2. In a bobbin holder having an elongate hollow body, an upper wall closing the upper end of said hollow body, an extension of said body projecting upwardly beyond said wall to form a chamber for suspension means for said body, a stud having a head mounted in said chamber, said stud having a threaded outer end portion and a smooth intermediate portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said threaded end portion, an inner bearing race loosely encircling said stud'and resting upon said head, ball hearings in said bearing race, a separator loosely encircling said stud and separating said ball bearings, an outer bearing race loosely encircling said stud and covering said ball bearings, imperforate flange means on said extension secur' ing said outer bearing race in place, said flange means and said outer bearing race sealing off the outer end of said chamber outside the inner periphery of said outer bearing race, and a labyrinth seal for the clearance between said outer bearing race and said stud, said seal including a first washer resting upon the outside of said outer bearing race and having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a second washer resting upon said first washer and having an inside diameter slifitly larger than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a third washer resting upon said second washer and having an inside diameter substantially the same as said first washer, a dust cap threadedly engaging said threaded end portion of said stud, and a helical spring slightly compressed between said dust cap and said third washer.

3. In a bobbin holder having an elongate hollow body, an upper wall closing the upper end of said hollow body, an extension of said body projecting upwardly beyond said wall to form a chamber for suspension means for said body, a'stud having a head mounted in said chamber, said stud having a threaded outer end portion and a smooth intermediate portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said threaded end portion, an inner bearing race loosely encircling said stud and resting upon said head, ball hearings in said bearing race, a separator loosely encircling said stud and separating said ball bearings, an outer bearing race loosely encircling said stud and covering said ball bearings, imperforate flange means on said extension securing said outer bearing race in place, said flange means and said 'outer bearing race sealing off the outer end of said chamber outside the inner periphery of said outer bearing race, and labyrinth seal for the clearance between said outer bearing race and said stud, said seal including a first washer resting upon the outside of said outer bearing race and having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a second washer resting upon said first washer and having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, and a third was-her resting upon said second washer and having an inside diameter substantially the same as said first washer.

4. In a bobbin holder having an elongate hollow body, an upper wall closing the upper end of said hollow body, an extension of said body projecting upwardly beyond said wall to form a chamber for suspension means for said body, a stud having an inner end mounted in said chamber, said stud having a threaded outer end portion and :a smooth intermediate portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said threaded end portion, an inner bearing race loosely encircling said stud and supported by said inner end, three ball bearings in said bearing race, a separator loosely encircling said stud and separating said ball bearings with substantially equal spacing, said separator having three equally spaced outwardly extending arms provided with wings for preventing jamming of said ball bearings, an outer bearing race loosely encircling said stud and covering said ball bearings, imperforate flange means on said extension securing said outer bearing race in place, said flange means and said outer bearing race sealing off the outer end of said chamber outside the inner periphery of said outer bearing race, and a labyrinth seal for the clearance between said outer bearing race and said stud, said seal including a first washer resting upon the outside of said outer bearing race and having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a second washer resting upon said first washer and having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a dust cap threadedly engaging said threaded end portion of said stud, and a helical spring between said dust cap and said washers urging said washers and said outer bearing race together.

5 In a bobbin holder having an elongate hollow body, an upper wall closing the upper end of said hollow body, an extension of said body projecting upwardly beyond said wall to :form a chamber "for suspension means for said body, a stud having an inner end mounted in said chamber, said stud having a threaded outer end portion and a smooth intermediate portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said threaded end portion, an inner bearing race loosely encircling said stud and supported by said inner end, ball bearings in said bearing race, a separator loosely encircling said stud and separating said ball bearings, an outer bearing race loosely encircling said stud and covering said ball bearings, annular means on said extension securing said outer bearing race in place, said annular means and said outer bearing race sealing off the outer end of said chamber outside the inner periphery of said outer bearing race, md a labyrinth seal for the clearance between said outer bearing race and said stud, said seal including a washer closely encircling said stud and rest ing upon the outside of said outer bearing race.

6. In a bobbin holder having an elongate hollow body, an upper wall closing the upper end of said hollow body, an extension of said body projecting upwardly beyond said wall to form a chamber for suspension means for said body, a stud having an inner end mounted in said chamber, said stud having a threaded outer end portion and a smooth intermediate portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said threaded end portion, an inner bearing race loosely encircling said stud and supported by said inner end, ball bearings in said bearing race, a separator loosely encircling said stud and separating said ball bearings, an outer bearing race loosely encircling said stud and covering said ball bearings, annular means on said extension securing said outer bearing race in place, said annular means and said outer bearing race sealing off the outer end of said chamber outside the inner periphery of said outer bearing race, and a labyrinth seal for the clearance between said outer bearing race and said stud.

7. In a bobbin holder having a body suspended by an anti-friction bearing mounted on a stud having a threaded outer end, said bearing having an outer race encircling said stud and having clearance therewith, a labyrinth seal for the clearance between said race and said stud, said seal including a fiber washer resting upon the outside of said outer bearing race and having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a metal washer resting upon said fiber washer and having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a second fiber washer resting upon said metal washer and having an inside diameter substantially the same as said first mentioned fiber washer, a dust cap threadedly engaging said threaded end portion of said stud, and a helical spring slightly compressed between said dust cap and said second fiber washer.

8. In a bobbin holder having a body suspended by an anti-friction bearing mounted on a stud having a threaded outer end, said bearing having an outer race encircling said stud and having clearance therewith, a labyrinth seal for the clearance between said race and said stud, said seal including a first washer resting upon the outside of said outer bearing race and having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a second washer resting upon said first washer and having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a third washer resting upon said second Washer and having an inside diameter substantially the same as said first washer, a dust cap threadedly engaging said threaded end portion of said stud, and a spring between said dust cap and said washers urging said washers and said outer race together.

9. In a bobbin holder having a body suspended by an anti-friction bearing mounted on a stud having a threaded outer end, said bearing having an outer race encircling said stud and having clearance therewith, a labyrinth seal for the clearance between said race and said stud, said seal including a first washer resting upon the outside of said outer bearing race and having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a second washer resting upon said first washer and having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said threaded end portion, a dust cap threadedly engaging said threaded end portion of said stud, and a spring between said dust cap and said washers urging said washers and said outer race together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 617,764 Obenchain Ian. 17, 1899 1,208,354 Myers Dec. 12, 1916 1,365,429 Wickersham Jan. 11, 1921 1,821,706 Hasbrouck Sept. 1, 1931 2,095,518 Casablancas Oct. 12, 1937 2,484,201 Winchell Oct. 11, 1949 2,872,127 Spencer Feb. 3, 1959 

